Driver and lead vehicle prediction model

Abstract

Methods and systems for predicting velocities of both a lead vehicle and an ego vehicle along a travel route. The ego vehicle generates a velocity profile for the ego vehicle and a velocity prediction for the lead vehicle, and uses the ego vehicle velocity profile and the lead vehicle velocity prediction to estimate position and velocity of the ego vehicle in the travel route. Preview information from a navigation system is used and may include velocity limitations for the travel route derived from the travel route characteristics. Driver actions are used when generating the ego vehicle velocity profile by calculating a virtual velocity setpoint for the ego vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ego vehicle comprising:
 a powertrain and a navigation system, and a controller comprising processor circuitry coupled to each of the powertrain and the navigation system, the controller configured to:   obtain preview information from the navigation system including velocity limit data related to a route on which the vehicle is travelling, and lead vehicle data related to a lead vehicle that is also on the route;   generate, for the lead vehicle, a lead vehicle velocity prediction, wherein the controller is configured to generate the lead vehicle velocity prediction by:
 initializing a lead vehicle velocity setpoint using a measured velocity of the lead vehicle, 
 calculating lead vehicle velocity limits using the preview information, and 
 determining the lead vehicle velocity prediction using the lead vehicle velocity setpoint and lead vehicle velocity limits by predicting that 
   the lead vehicle will accelerate to the lead vehicle velocity limits;   generate, for the ego vehicle, an ego vehicle velocity profile; and estimate an ego vehicle velocity prediction,   wherein the controller is configured to adjust the lead vehicle velocity setpoint up and down as follows:   if the lead vehicle is not accelerating:
 if the lead vehicle is travelling above the lead vehicle velocity setpoint, the lead vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted upward; 
 if the lead vehicle is travelling above a minimum velocity and is travelling below the lead vehicle velocity limits less a margin, the lead vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted downward; and 
   if the lead vehicle is accelerating, and the lead vehicle is travelling above the lead vehicle velocity setpoint, the lead vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted upward.   
     
     
         2 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to:
 generate a lead vehicle velocity profile as a function of lead vehicle position on the route, and 
 convert the lead vehicle velocity profile into the lead vehicle velocity prediction as a function of time. 
 
     
     
         3 . The ego vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the lead vehicle velocity prediction without attempting to account for a further lead vehicle in front of the lead vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The ego vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to use the lead vehicle velocity prediction to limit the ego vehicle velocity prediction if the ego vehicle would, within the prediction window, come within a distance threshold of the lead vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the ego vehicle velocity profile by:
 either initializing an ego velocity setpoint, or adjusting a stored ego vehicle velocity setpoint up and down in response to actions of a driver;   calculating ego vehicle velocity limits as a function of location on the route using the preview information without considering the lead vehicle; and   using a minimum of the ego vehicle velocity setpoint or the ego vehicle velocity limits as the ego vehicle velocity profile for locations along the route.   
     
     
         6 . The ego vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the ego vehicle velocity limits include at least one of:
 a velocity limit calculated using road curvature; and   a velocity limit based on prevailing traffic speeds.   
     
     
         7 . The ego vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the ego vehicle velocity setpoint up and down as follows:
 if the ego vehicle is not accelerating:   if the ego vehicle is travelling above the ego vehicle velocity setpoint, the ego vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted upward;   if the ego vehicle is travelling above a minimum velocity and is travelling below the ego vehicle velocity limits less a margin, without a lead vehicle present, the ego vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted downward; and   if the ego vehicle is accelerating, and the ego vehicle is travelling above the ego vehicle velocity setpoint, the ego vehicle velocity setpoint is adjusted upward.   
     
     
         8 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the powertrain is a hybrid powertrain including a first power source and a second power source, wherein the controller is configured to use the ego vehicle velocity prediction to calculate a torque split for the hybrid powertrain. 
     
     
         9 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate, for the ego vehicle, an acceleration prediction and a position prediction, each as a function of time, along with the ego vehicle velocity prediction. 
     
     
         10 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises:
 a velocity profile generator configured to generate the ego vehicle velocity profile;   a lead vehicle prediction module configured to generate the lead vehicle velocity prediction; and   a vehicle cruise controller configured to receive the ego vehicle velocity profile and the lead vehicle velocity prediction, and estimate the ego vehicle velocity prediction.   
     
     
         11 . The ego vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more operations of the powertrain and/or of the navigation system while the ego vehicle is traveling on the route and based at least in part on the ego vehicle velocity prediction. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operation in an ego vehicle having a powertrain, a navigation system, and a controller comprising processor circuitry, the method comprising:
 the controller obtaining preview information from the navigation system including velocity limit data related to a route on which the vehicle is travelling, and lead vehicle data related to a lead vehicle that is also on the route;   the controller generating, for the lead vehicle, a lead vehicle velocity prediction, wherein generating the lead vehicle velocity prediction is performed by:
 initializing a lead vehicle velocity setpoint using a measured velocity of the lead vehicle; 
 calculating lead vehicle velocity limits using the preview information, 
 determining the lead vehicle velocity prediction using the lead vehicle velocity setpoint and lead vehicle velocity limits by predicting that the lead vehicle will accelerate to the lead vehicle velocity limits; and 
   adjusting the lead vehicle velocity setpoint up and down as follows:
 determining that the lead vehicle is accelerating or is not accelerating; 
 adjusting the lead vehicle velocity setpoint upward based on determining that the lead vehicle is not accelerating and is traveling above the lead vehicle velocity setpoint; 
 adjusting the lead vehicle velocity setpoint downward based on determining that the lead vehicle is not accelerating and is traveling above a minimum velocity and is traveling below the lead vehicle velocity limits less a margin; and 
 adjusting the lead vehicle velocity setpoint based on determining that the lead vehicle is accelerating and the lead vehicle is traveling above the lead vehicle velocity setpoint, 
   the controller generating, for the ego vehicle, an ego vehicle velocity profile;   the controller estimating an ego vehicle velocity prediction using the lead vehicle velocity prediction and the ego vehicle velocity profile; and   the controller controlling one or more operations of the powertrain and/or of the navigation system while the ego vehicle is traveling on the route and based at least in part on the ego vehicle velocity prediction.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of generating the lead vehicle velocity prediction comprises:
 generating a lead vehicle velocity profile as a function of lead vehicle position on the route, and   converting the lead vehicle velocity profile into the lead vehicle velocity prediction as a function of time, without attempting to account for a further lead vehicle in front of the lead vehicle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of estimating the ego vehicle velocity prediction includes:
 monitoring a distance between the ego vehicle and the lead vehicle; 
 determining that the ego vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the lead vehicle within a prediction window; and 
 using the lead vehicle velocity prediction to limit the ego vehicle velocity prediction based on determining that the ego vehicle will come within a distance threshold of the lead vehicle within the prediction window. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the preview information comprises at least one of traffic light or stop sign data, and the step of estimating the ego vehicle velocity prediction includes using the at least one of traffic light or stop sign data to limit the ego vehicle velocity prediction. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of generating the ego vehicle velocity profile includes:
 either initializing an ego velocity setpoint, or adjusting a stored ego vehicle velocity setpoint up and down in response to actions of a driver; 
 calculating ego vehicle velocity limits as a function of location on the route using the preview information without considering the lead vehicle; and 
 using a minimum of the ego vehicle velocity setpoint or the ego vehicle velocity limits as the ego vehicle velocity profile for locations along the route. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising adjusting the ego vehicle velocity setpoint up and down as follows:
 determining that the ego vehicle is accelerating or is not accelerating;
 adjusting the ego vehicle velocity setpoint upward based on determining that the ego vehicle is not accelerating and is traveling above the ego vehicle velocity setpoint; 
 adjusting the ego vehicle velocity setpoint downward based on determining that the ego vehicle is not accelerating and is traveling above a minimum velocity and is traveling below the ego vehicle velocity limits less a margin; and 
 adjusting the ego vehicle velocity setpoint based on determining that the ego vehicle is accelerating and the ego vehicle is traveling above the ego vehicle velocity setpoint.